Excavation Tips for New Home Construction

Are you planning to construct a new home?

The building of every new home starts with excavation. You need to excavate the land before you can start laying your foundation or installing the electrical and plumbing systems.

There are some necessary steps you can take to reduce common excavation problems. This is important as you always risk dealing with some loose, unstable ground or being close to water.

In this article, AlltradeProperties.com shares some of the best excavation tips for constructing a new home.

Conduct Soil Testing

Testing the soil underneath your future home is essential before breaking the ground. This is a significant step because you want to make sure that there aren’t many unstable minerals in the soil.

Consider the following points:

  • Avoid building on large gypsum deposits. This mineral dissolves easily in water, thereby making the ground less stable.
  • Clay-rich soils expand when wet. You need to assess the risks because the presence of clay is connected to foundation issues.
  • The best way to ensure your home isn’t in jeopardy is to consult with a qualified professional

Take all the Safety Precautions

You want to make sure that you take basic safety precautions. For instance, it’s required that you wear adequate protection that covers your skin, head, and eyes.

Here are some other safety tips to follow:

  1. Properly secure and store the excavation equipment to avoid damages.
  2. Always assess the risk of cave-ins and brace the foundation walls.
  3. Block any access to the excavation area to prevent anyone from falling in the pit.
  4. When you seal the area off, keep in mind that pets or wild animals need extra barriers.

Get Professional Assistance

If you feel inexperienced, uncomfortable, or unknowledgeable, contact an excavating contractor. There are many risks associated with excavating, which means that you are better off hiring a professional to finish the job.

These experts have years of experience, proper insurance, and a valid license. With professional contractors, you can be sure that the work will be carried out safely and efficiently.

Remove Ground Water

Groundwater is a major concern during every excavation. Drilling a pump line allows you to remove groundwater, thereby reducing the risk of getting your work area flooded. Otherwise, you may find that constructing your foundation is impracticable. Diverting the groundwater will free your work area from the flooding and allow you to start installing your home’s foundation.

Survey the Land

Before you break ground, it’s vital to survey the land. Obtain the correct measurements for the angle of the land prior to digging. This step is important to prevent leveling and releveling in the long-term.

Use the Correct Tools

You need to use the right tools and equipment to tackle the excavation project. When you substitute the correct tools with unsuitable machinery, the risk of damages, accidents, and injuries increases.

Here are some of the tools you should have on hand:

  • Trenchers – This equipment is used for digging trenches. Usually, these trenches are meant for pipelines, cables, and drainage. There are two main types of trenches: wheeled trenchers and chain trenchers.
  • Tracked excavator – Also called a track hoe, this is a traction vehicle that can rotate a full 360 degrees. This hydraulic excavator is useful when there is uneven ground and many hills.
  • Bulldozers –There are both tracked and wheeled bulldozers. These are mainly used for lifting the soil and removing weak mineral clusters from the ground.
  • Hand tools – Shovels, hoes, spades, and trowels are all man-powered hand tools for excavation. These tools are used to excavate smaller patches of ground without going too deep.

Check the Height of Water Tables

Shallow groundwater pooling is something that you want to prevent when conducting the excavation. To do so, check water table maps. These will show which particular areas put you at risk of flooding.

Finding out that your area has a high water table means you have to use a pump while excavating the ground. At the same time, it’s important to create a trench that carries the water away from your construction site.

The Bottom Line: Excavation Tips for New Home Construction

The first phase before any new home construction is the excavation. If you don’t have prior experience in excavation jobs, we recommend you hire a professional. Successful completion of an excavation project comes with many challenging. Therefore, hiring an expert is a sound decision.

However, if you believe you have the skills to do the job yourself, here are the main tips for breaking your future home’s ground:

  • Follow all the necessary safety precautions.
  • Use the right tools for your excavation job.
  • Test the soil and check the height of the water table.
  • Measure the land and remove groundwater.